47. ITYS! As Qualified Men Dwindle, Military Looks For A Few Good Women

When the Pentagon said earlier this year that it would open ground combat jobs to women, it was cast in terms of giving women equal opportunities in the workplace ó the military workplace.

But the move has practical considerations, too. The military needs qualified people to fill its ranks, and it's increasingly harder to find them among men.

"It's fairly common knowledge that our population of military-age young men, who qualify for the military, is declining," Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey said in an interview with NPR just after the Pentagon announced that women no longer be excluded from ground combat jobs.

Too many potential male recruits have criminal records, drop out of high school or have drug problems. In addition, the rising obesity rate is also a factor...Less than 25 percent of young people ó both male and female ó can actually meet the standards for military enlistment today. Those standards disqualify more men than women. Young men account for three-fourths of all arrests, and in all 50 states, males have a higher high school dropout rate than females....AND THEY ARE STILL TESTING WOMEN TO MEN'S PHYSICAL STANDARDS...

AN EMPIRE WITHOUT AN ARMY...WILL NOT BE AN EMPIRE FOR VERY LONG...HENCE THE DRONING....